These are not new stories, I know, but I’ve been busy and have only just read them.

It appears at first glance that the under 21s beat a first team squad by three goals to nil.

I have to say this makes interesting reading, although I have to wonder who made up the defensive part of the senior side when you realise that Mark Bunn, Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott, Jores Okore and Aly Cissokho didn’t play. Gabby Agbonlahor, Rudy Gestede and Libor Kozak were also absent and when you look at it like that, surely it means that most of what we perceive as our “best” players didn’t actually play?

That said, some “decent” players were involved, with Carles Gil, Jordan Veretout, Idrissa Gana, and Ashley Westwood, all expected to start at the Britannia, alongside Brad Guzan, Ciaran Clark, Kieran Richardson, Alan Hutton, and Scott Sinclair getting at least a run out.
Not that I’ve seen how long any of them actually played. For example, Bunn wasn’t involved and it seems Guzan played at least some part. So who was the main goalie? And which goalie actually conceded the goals?

It’s a bit of a non-story for me, but it doesn’t look good doesn’t it?
If indeed it was the case that the senior team played most of the game, perhaps I ought to reconsider my stance and concede that those of you calling for the kids to start might well be right.
Well, let’s see how many kids Remi Garde throws in against an ugly Stoke side.
I can’t see it being many, if any at all, myself.

Onto the latest protest idea then and it appears that a group of fans have started a campaign for a walkout in the 74th minute for the next three home games.
The 74 represents the “1874”, in case you hadn’t guessed.

Well, I won’t be reading unfortunately, as I detest Facebook with a passion. If Facebook was a tasty lap-dancer, I wouldn’t touch it with Defoe’s, put it that way.

My personal sentiments on that part aside though, I have to say I think this is doomed to failure.
It’s not that I want to put a downer on the idea, as I’m all in favour of some sort of protest that I thought might actually achieve something, but who is going to want to walk out of a game that we might be (ahem) winning?
And if we’re losing, or very possibly getting soundly beaten, won’t there be a mass walk out anyway?

It’s not a clear enough sort of protest for me, as many fans will ignore it, rightfully thinking that they’ve paid their money, so want to watch the game.

No, if you were to ask my opinion, we need some method of protest that is much more of a show stopper, as your regular protests are becoming old hat and too routine.
Something that would grab world-wide attention.
Something akin to the Albion pitch invasion, but that goes further in actually getting the game abandoned.
Let’s face it, the club got a £200k fine when it’s fans were only celebrating, so they might as well do the real thing for the right sort of reason.
I’m not talking about the last game of the season either.
The Newcastle game would be the one, especially if they’re going down with us.
Imagine if the two sets of fans teamed up on the pitch, in protest at the way the game is going and the way the clubs are being run.
Imagine the headlines. Genuinely worldwide and high up the agenda. A real kick in the proverbials for the Premier League, Lerner and Ashley.
Beautiful.
Now that’s what I call a protest.

But of course, that sort of thing would be bad for the club and the media would probably only twist things, just as they did against the Albion anyway. Still, imagine those headlines.

Before anyone rants against my wishful thinking, don’t worry. It won’t happen.
People don’t do outlandish things like that anymore.
It’s only in my dreams and I can’t be seen to advocate people breaking the law and running on to the pitch anyway, can I?
The reality is you’d get some idiotic Villa and Newcastle fans knocking lumps out of each other, because that’s what happens.

Coming back to the real world, I’m much more minded to agree with those who say we just shouldn’t attend at all and indeed, I’m somewhat ashamed to admit, that I haven’t attended at all this season. I refuse to hand over money to a regime that obviously refuses to compete; it’s as simple as that.

And while my one titchy bit of a protest won’t make much difference, the club would do well to consider that if I do attend, I don’t go alone, because at least two grandkids accompany me.

The club, or more accurately, Lerner is peeing our future up the wall and that’s the part that really annoys me.
He’s already made the penultimate mistake in not demonstrating support for his manager.
Will he make the ultimate one in not investing to get us straight back up?

That’ll be the question in just a few months, won’t it?

Suffice to say that I think any more normal method of protest is destined to fall on deaf ears.
Lerner doesn’t give a stuff about what we think and the media is 100% behind him, make no mistake. The protest against McLeish’s appointment said it all, when it was dominated by the graffiti at BMH. And still he ignored the fans.

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36 Comments

I cannot see what walking out on 74 minutes will prove if I am honest, they would not give a flying fuck. If you use the Liverpool game as a bench mark then most walked out before that at 3 nil. I stayed until the end against Liverpool and drove home in no traffic which was a bonus. The only way you will hit them is not to spend any money in the ground on merchandise, programmes, food and drink. Hit them where it hurts in their pockets, all that walking out will do is effect the players. They will have all the food and drink left over and will have paid the staff to stand around with no paying customers to serve. Get some cans from the offy and buy a burger from outside the ground or buy a your stuff from the shop and take it in with you. if you do the maths 30000+ fans spending on average £5.00 a game over 3 games is £450.000 plus staff wages on top. I could be miles out as it could be a lot more rather than less. Surely that will have more of an impact than walking out having already parted with your cash?

Even if that were to be true – what would it achieve? We need massive investment alongside a complete restructuring of the club and management at board level. I doubt whether Doug or his family have sufficient wealth to take on the job of rebuilding the club.

this relegation has been coming for years and the majority of fans (myself included) have sat there in apathy.
if we want change then we have to at least try to instigate it. leaving on 74 minutes is at least doing something rather than nothing. it is time for us to either put up or shut up.
my only concern is that a lot of fans might already have left by the 74th minute.

See Deadly has been having his four pennies worth. Support his criticism of Lerner but why after saying everyone is to blame does he focus on the manager and players – they were, after all, appointed and bought by the board / transfer committee! Some things don’t ever change 🙂

As with most things, protest from the fans is a process and a 74 minute walk out is a first step. It’s a statement of intent. Even if not a large or effective one its a statement nonetheless. That’s what’s needed at this stage, a seed needs planting and even if it’s a few thousand walking out whilst trying to rally the fans around, who don’t follow them, it’s still a statement. Those who didn’t walk with them will certainly notice and pick up on the idea for the next match and so on in a snowball like fashion. Absolutely for it myself. The act itself at the first match on 74 minutes will probably be meaningless on the face of things on the day but it’s what happens after and onwards which is where that first small act will have made all the difference!

As a couple of posters have said here already and potentially even more important is not to spend a penny! If you’re bringing kids grab em something outside the stadium and bring it inside.

After giving it quite a lot of thought I’m beginning to agree with the 74th minute protest and the commercial boycott. It may not amount to much in the grand scheme of things but it’s something that can be done so why not do it? It might at least give supporters the crumb of comfort that they can achieve something.

Otherwise what?

If it gives any of the prats currently running the club a second’s thought then it will have been worth it.